The winners of the 7th CineMad Window highlight the event

The creators of Sisters, The Residence, Girl and Wolf y My brother Ali, the four winning projects of the 7th edition of CineMad Window, share their impressions about the event and its value in the audiovisual industry.

CineMad Window is an international development and co-production forum organized by OR (Madrid Audiovisual Association), the Community of Madrid and the Madrid City Council. This is a forum that has taken place annually since 2015 with the aim of forging alliances between the European and American audiovisual sectors with Madrid as the epicenter. Every year an international committee selects audiovisual projects from Madrid, Europe and America. Projects from Colombia, Sweden, Romania, Mexico, Chile, Germany, Peru, Poland, Argentina, Brussels and Canada have been parading through Ventana CineMad.

In total, Ventana CineMad has awarded €52,000 in prizes, distributed in €13,000 per category. The Prize Best Fiction Feature Film Project It went to Hermanas, a work directed and scripted by Ione Hernández, produced by Luis Collar (Nephilim Films), Pako Ruiz (Sonora Studios) and Úrsula Romero (ISBC). The Prize Best Fiction TV Series Project It was for La residence, produced by Laura Olive Lerín (Fede Entertainment España) and scripted by Santi San Martín Beguiristáin. The Prize Best animation project It was received by Chica y Lobo, directed and scripted by Roc Espinet, and produced by Xosé Zapata (Sygnatia) and Álvaro García (Hampa Studio). Finally, the Prize Best documentary project has ended up in My Brother Ali, directed, scripted and produced by Paula Palacios (Morada Films).

Winners' reactions

Ione Hernandez, director and screenwriters of Sisters, gives some of the project keys: "Sisters is about an episode of abuse that occurs between two cousins, within a family. With this project I have discovered that a lot of abusive situations occur within the family, which are the ones that are embarrassing to talk about, the ones that are overlooked and silenced. And that is where I want to put my camera, because I have realized that society is now no longer afraid to talk about abuse when they are very high-sounding cases, like the case of La Manada, which are the ones that appear in the media." Hernández has also valued the Ventana CineMad recognition: "This seems like a fundamental award to me, it gives me a lot of confidence and is a reinforcement, as well as recognition. For me, the quality of the other projects has been very good, and they were also from great colleagues, which is why I was quite surprised that Hermanas won. Events like Ventana CineMad are necessary and fundamental for us filmmakers."

On the other hand, Paula Palacios, director and co-producer of the documentary My brother Ali, has expressed feeling “very happy” receive the award: "I have been preparing this film for ten years and it is an important moment for me of impulse, of receiving the last push and seeing that the project is liked. We need that warmth from the industry that we have received here, from our colleagues. That is why this award comes at the best time. It has been incredible to be able to make so many contacts and meetings with future international collaborators."

Also Xosé Zapata, producer of Girl and Wolf, celebrate with enthusiasm the existence of initiatives such as Ventana CineMad: "Like any animated film, in this 2D chaos, it is a traditional cartoon which requires a very big effort. There are many years of work and, therefore, this type of events and support is very necessary, especially for animated films in which a large number of people are involved as well as years and time to finish them. For Chica y Lobo it has been a pleasure to be at this event."

Mentions and jury

In addition to recognizing the quality and projection of Sisters, The Residence, Girl and Wolf y My brother Ali, The Ventana CineMad jury has awarded two special mentions to Madrid for Chinas, directed and scripted by Arantxa Echevarría, and produced by Pilar Sánchez Díaz (Lazona Producciones), for its “potential contribution to the international projection of Madrid”; and the production and post-production in Madrid for Elefante, directed and scripted by Pablo de la Chica, produced by Fernando G. Monge (Huaorani Films), Adriana Vera, David Torres and Diego Corsini (Salon Indien Films), Pedro Domingo and Celine Fernandes (Nu Boyana FX). In this case, the mention has been proposed by the filming offices Madrid Films y City of Madrid Film Office due to its filming and post-production characteristics in the city or Community of Madrid.

The jury for this edition was made up of Antonio Mansilla, president of PIAF (Federated Independent Audiovisual Producers) and audiovisual producer; Victor Aertsen, City of Madrid Film Office; y José Antonio Rodríguez, academic director of U-tad and director of animation production.

CineMad Window is organized by OR (Madrid Audiovisual Association). They collaborate Community of Madrid y Madrid City Council through the Government Area of ​​Economy, Innovation and Employment.